Tucked just east of Wrens, Ways Baptist Church has been a cornerstone of Jefferson County life since 1817. Its roots trace back to a log cabin, where thirteen men, thirty-three women, and eighteen enslaved people gathered after being dismissed from Brushy Creek Baptist. The congregation named the meeting house for John Way, who donated the land, and from these humble beginnings grew one of the county’s most enduring churches.

The present sanctuary, completed in 1851, is the third to stand on this site. Over the years, it has seen baptisms in a large pool built in 1877, the laughter of children in classrooms, and the heartbreak of war. During the Civil War, a company of soldiers was formed from its members. Many never returned, and in 1862 alone, eight congregants died. By the war’s end, thirty-five African American members left with letters to form Ways Grove Baptist Church nearby, carrying their faith into a new chapter of freedom.

Education was always central here. Ways Baptist fostered schools, including one in Stellaville, which became the only high school in Jefferson County outside of Louisville by 1868. Stellaville itself was once a thriving town, remembered for its shaded oak-lined streets, baseball team, and even a reputation as a village so peaceful its marshal never had to make an arrest. Today, little remains but the church and cemetery, with nearly 700 burials bearing witness to its past.

When space for youth was needed, members took an inventive step: digging a basement beneath the church to preserve its historic appearance while meeting modern needs. In 2017, Ways celebrated its bicentennial, a testament to the perseverance of generations who carried forward its mission of faith, education, and community.